THE NATURAL SCIENCES

Appled Mathematics concentration grew out of the need for people who would be primarily the "users of mathematics;" people who must have a solid groundwork in theory, but whose primary consideration is using mathematics as a tool for solving mostly practical problems in engineering, physical sciences, economics, computer sciences, social sciences and operations research.

Unlike the pure mathematician, the applied mathematician is interested in the subject as a tool for finding useful results, not as a body of theory valued for its own sake and divorced from the outside world. Often a good part of the problem consists of translating from the language of the layman to the language of mathematics. For this reason, it is particularly important to have a good knowledge of the field to which you will be applying mathematics.

Distinct from engineers, who are concerned with design and construction, the applied mathematician generally confines himself to the mathematics of the problem, hopefully coming up with answers which are implicit in the engineer's end product.

If you'd rather build a better mousetrap than just conceive of the thing, perhaps Engineering and Applied Physics is for you. Both Applied Physics and Applied Math have quite similar course requirements.

These general requirements are designed to allow quite a lot of flexibility in the individual program because it is recognized that concentrators will be preparing themselves to apply mathematics to wide and growing classes of problems. The best guides are the student's own sense of suitability and his adviser's approval.

Because of the fundamentally quantitative nature of the area, the concentrator will find himself most concerned with technical courses. As a rule, out-of-class work takes the form of problem solving. This is the heart of the subject, and it takes a good deal more time than might be spent in other concentrations to achieve the same grades.

Exams, too, are completely devoted to problem solving; bull throwing isn't even relevant. There are courses in related areas, such as economics, which may be valuable to someone interested in using his mathematics in that field, but the essential core comes in courses labeled engineering sciences, mathematics, physics, and applied mathematics. Tutorial does exist, but it is primarily oriental toward the thesis required of candidates for high or highest honors.

The concentration is administered by a committee which draws its members primarily from engineering, applied math, math, physics and statistics. Instruction is generally by lecture, though at higher levels, there are laboratory and conference courses.

The quality of faculty members depends a lot on the department from which the concentrator draws most his courses. The required courses and those most often taken by concentrators are usually well taught. And judicious planning allows one to avoid most of the unfortunate expenses.

One of the most glaring needs is expansion of the number of course dealing with computers. At present Engineering Sciences 110 is forced do too much in a limited time. A range of courses to allow for those with different preparation and needs is also necessary.

Both the concentration's strength and weakness is its attempt to serve a wide spectrum of needs and interests. It must spread its ability and effort a little thinly, but at the same time is able to draw on such a wide range of courses and men that it can afford to emphasize the best.

Above all, because it is new, concentration is still in the easily-changed stage. It is already good and bound to get better because of the increasing number of men and amounts of money devoted to the areas it draws from. Applied Math continues to open and growing. Anyone entering it will more likely than not set at least one precedent before he graduates.